


Talk Me Down

by fabulouspizza



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, M/M, No Spoilers, Prompto Has Lots of Feelings Okay, relationship angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 18:43:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9250733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabulouspizza/pseuds/fabulouspizza
Summary: Unfortunately, he didn’t hear the news from Noctis first.[Prompto finds out about the wedding.]





	

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place before the game starts and right after the peace terms are given to Lucis. I'm not sure exactly how much time our main characters had to prepare for their road trip, but that's when this occurs.
> 
> Title is from the Troye Sivan song of the same name.

Unfortunately, he didn’t hear the news from Noctis first.

Prompto had just woken up, and was blearily thumbing through his phone notifications.  And there it was—the top headline.  _“Niflheim Peace Negotiations?  Prince Noctis to be Married to Lunafreya Nox Fleuret.”_

His blood ran cold, thumb frozen on the screen.  It was just a tabloid, right?  But as he scrolled through the article, he couldn’t find evidence that it was anything but real.  Noct was going to marry Luna, as part of this peace treaty.  His sleep-fogged brain tried to process this, but it wasn’t working. 

Prompto swallowed thickly and checked his notifications again.  Nothing from Noct.  He double checked his messages…the last one was still the same from yesterday.

 

P  [  hey dude! can u meet up tmrw? lets go take some pics  ]

 

[  sure.  see you then.  ]  N

 

Sitting up, Prompto pressed the call button.  The phone rang for ages before hitting voicemail.  He hung up—he didn’t have any idea what to say, he just wanted to talk to Noctis.

He’d have to go see him.

After hurriedly showering and getting dressed, Prompto dashed out the door.  His parents weren’t home as usual, so there was no one to question where he was running off to in such a rush.

He jogged the familiar distance to Noctis’ apartment.  Generally he didn’t come here without the prince—though it was no Citadel, the security was tight.  After turning the corner, he could already see more guards than normal—and a few extra parked cars too.  A camera flash popped and Prompto spotted Noctis, walking from the door to his car, with Ignis at his elbow.  There were quite a few reporters in the road, the guards separating them from the sidewalk.

“Noct!”  He swallowed around the lump in his throat, and yelled louder.  “ _NOCT!”_

He could see Noctis still and scan the crowd, then find the space that Prompto was standing a ways away.  Their eyes met briefly before Noctis’ eyes dropped, a guilty look settling on his face.  He didn’t look up as Ignis guided him gently into the back seat of the car, closing the door firmly.  Ignis got in the driver’s seat and the engine roared to life, pulling away from the curb.  Prompto couldn’t see in the backseat—the windows were tinted.  He didn’t know if Noctis was looking at him.

\--

It wasn’t a surprise, though really it wasn’t.  Although Prompto avoided the subject like it was delicate glass, King Regis’s health was always in question.  The burden of the crystal weakened him more each day.  Noctis was twenty years old, heir to a throne and had responsibilities that were rapidly descending upon him.  He would have to get married one day—and probably sooner rather than later.  They had to make sure the line continued, after all—their country’s security depended on it.

Prompto brought it up one night. They were on the couch at Noct’s apartment, the aforementioned prince’s head in Prompto’s lap.  Ignis had left for the night, and they were both playing on their phones rather than doing homework.

Noctis had dropped his phone on his chest and sighed when Prompto asked.  “I dunno, I guess it’ll be someone from an important family—probably not from Lucis.”  He shifted, shoulder poking into Prompto’s thigh.  “Whoever it’s most politically advantageous for me to marry.”  His head tipped back to look up.  “Don’t worry about it.  We’ll be fine.”

Prompto wasn’t sure what that meant, and he didn’t stop worrying, but he kissed Noctis’ forehead and tried to put it out of his mind as long as possible.

Neither of them knew it would be Luna, of course.  Prompto had always wanted to meet her, and was eternally grateful to her for helping him work up the courage to befriend Noct.  Though he didn’t usually talk about that time in his life, Noctis often spoke fondly of the time he spent with her as a boy in Tenebrae. 

Tears welled up and Prompto pressed his wrists to his eyes, contacts stinging.  The fact that it was Luna, Noctis’ dear friend, only made his heart sink further.   He was sitting on a bench about a block away from Noct’s apartment.  The reporters had mostly scattered—luckily none of them had seen him.  He may not have a place in the palace, but he had appeared in enough photos with the Prince that he was sure they’d try to talk to him if they recognized him.  Which was why it was doubly important that he not start crying in the middle of the sidewalk.

He didn’t have anything else to do—all of his plans today had been with Noctis, so he slowly made his way back home. The rest of the morning dragged on endlessly.  By the afternoon there was still no word from Noctis.  Prompto supposed he was probably stuck in meetings with his father and advisors—presuming this was news to him as well.  Prompto quietly, violently hoped it was, because he didn’t think he would be able to take the idea that Noctis knew about this and kept it from him.

Despite knowing—really knowing Noctis for five years now, it always felt like this thread that connected them was thin and tenuous.  Every day he saw Noct, every smirk, every eye roll, every kiss wove it tighter, but when he was gone it slowly unraveled.  What about Prompto made him worth the prince?  Prompto, with no other friends, no real family, no talents, Prompto, with—

He bit his lip and sucked in a breath.  Today it felt like someone had cut the thread.

\--

Prompto had been sitting on the couch until evening when someone knocked on the front door.  His heart leapt up in his chest—but he didn’t dare hope that it was Noctis.  It was probably a neighbor needing something.  Legs shaky from sitting too long, he walked over to the door and opened it.

It was Ignis.

Prompto blinked in surprise.

“Good evening Prompto.  May I come in?  I’ve brought dinner.”

“Um, sure!”  Prompto glanced hopefully over Ignis’ shoulder, but he was alone.  He stepped aside to let the other man through—he was carrying a wide bag.

“Have you eaten today?” Ignis asked.

Had he?  Prompto absentmindedly put a hand over his stomach.

“I didn’t think so.  May I set this down in your kitchen?”

Prompto showed him to the kitchen.  Ignis gestured for Prompto to have a seat while he began unpacking his bag.  A savory, meaty smell filled the air and Prompto’s stomach growled.  Ignis smiled.

“His Highness has mentioned that you prefer spicy foods.  I hope this is to your liking.”

His Highness—“Did Noct send you?”

“No.  I’m afraid that the prince has been held up in various meetings at the Citadel all day.  I have not had a chance to speak with him since this morning.”

Well, that was as he suspected.  Prompto sighed and Ignis gently slid a bowl of chili to him.

“Is it alright if I join you?” Ignis asked, hand on the back of the chair next to Prompto.

“Of course!” Prompto smiled as best as he could, and tried a spoonful of the chili.  It was delicious—as were the other few things Ignis had made before that he had had the pleasure of trying.  Ignis sat down and began eating as well.  Despite the wonderful taste, each spoonful felt heavy in Prompto’s throat, but he needed to eat.  What was Ignis doing here though, if Noct wasn’t with him?  Prompto supposed he had his one life, but he had never seen Ignis without the prince.

After a minute, Ignis sat down his spoon and cleared his throat.  At the same time, Prompto’s asked, “Why are you here?”

Ignis leveled a look at him and Prompto felt his face flush.  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude!  It’s just—you’ve never come to see me before, and Noct didn’t send you, so.”

“I was worried,” Ignis responded flatly.  “I saw you briefly this morning outside His Highness’ apartment, but aside from that, I wasn’t sure how you were taking the news.”

Ignis was…worried?  Although they were often around Noctis at the same time, he hadn’t interacted with Ignis all that much besides small talk.  And if he was worried—well as far as Ignis knew, Prompto shouldn’t have any reason to be upset today, unless…Prompto felt himself flush further.

“Please don’t think I’m as dim as to not be aware of your relationship with His Highness.”  Ignis smirked slightly.  “I hope you can give me more credit than that.”

“That’s…” Prompto began to say.  “Okay then.”  Evidently he and Noctis had not been as subtle as they were intending.

Ignis folded his hands and set them on the table.  “Please listen Prompto.  While ensuring His Highness completes his duty is my number one priority, his happiness is second only to that.”  He smiled.  “That puts your happiness at around third, I suppose.  I came here to reassure you.”

“Reassure me?” Prompto repeated foggily.

“You and I both know that, for better or worse, Noctis only devotes himself to those he cares about.  You are one of those few people.  That is not going to change because of his new situation.”  Ignis reached across the table and laid a hand on Prompto’s shoulder.  “Whatever happens, I am quite certain you and His Highness will be fine.”

Prompto’s gaze travelled from the hand on his shoulder to Ignis’ face.  He was wearing an expression that Prompto had only seen a few times, and always directed at Noctis.  Prompto’s stomach clenched, his face got hot, and the floodgates broke.  Fat tears started rolling down his cheeks and he closed his eyes to stave them off, but it was no use.  He knew he was making ridiculous hiccupping noises, but he couldn’t stop.  Hearing everything laid out in the open was too much.  The hand on his shoulder squeezed.

“There, there.  Everything is just fine.  I’ll get you some water.”

He heard Ignis get up and walk across the sink, so Prompto scrubbed his face with his hands and tried to calm himself down.  He breathed in and out quickly a few times and managed to get himself under control.  When Ignis walked back over with the water he accepted it gratefully, gulping it down.

“Sorry,” he mumbled sheepishly.  “I’m kind of a wreck.”

Ignis smiled again.  “It’s quite all right.”

They finished dinner in mostly silence, with Ignis cleaning up despite Prompto’s protests.  After Ignis left, Prompto fell asleep—tired from crying but feeling a bit calmer.

\--

It was early in the morning—the room still pitch black—when Prompto’s phone buzzed, waking him up.

 

[  hey  ]  N

 

Prompto’s heart thudded.

 

[  can you come outside, I’m here  ]  N

[  please  ]  N

 

Prompto wasn’t sure if his parents were home, but he practically flew out of bed regardless.  It was cool outside and the cobblestone bit at his bare feet, but Noctis was standing there by the mailbox.

“Prom,” Noctis breathed.

Prompto wanted to throw his arms around Noctis’ neck, but the expression that Noctis was wearing made him stop.  He looked exhausted, the bags under his eyes and his pale face standing out in the moonlight.

“I’m sorry Prom.” Noct’s face crumpled.  “I was shitty this morning.  I only just found out late last night and…I didn’t know what to say.”  Noctis grabbed one of Prompto’s hands with both of his.  “Are you okay?”

Prompto brought their hands up to his lips and kissed Noctis’ knuckles gently.  “I’m doing okay now.”  He chuckled.  “You should have seen me earlier when Ignis was here though.”

Noctis looked puzzled.  “Ignis was here?  No, never mind.  Look, I don’t know for sure what’s going to happen, but I,” he sucked in a breath, “I want you to stay with me.  The wedding is going to be in Altissa.  Please come with me.”

A million different emotions flooded through Prompto at that, but he settled on love.

“Of course.  I really am excited to meet Luna.”  He smiled.  “Whatever happens, we’re going to be fine.”

**Author's Note:**

> Look, I just wanted to write sad Prompto because he is a ball of insecurity and I love him. Also supportive Ignis.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
